Engine-starting apparatus



J. BIJUR. ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS. AIPPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, l9l9.

1,843,030. Patented June 8, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

JOSEPH BIJUR, ornnw roux, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO BIJUR MOTOR APPLIANCE COMPANY, A conrom'rron or DELAWARE.

ENGINE-STARTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented-June s, 1920.

o iginal application filed June 25, 1913, Serial No. 775,670. Renewed November 23, 1918, Serial No. 263,947. Divided and this application filed February 24, 1919. Serial No. 278,919.

To all whom it may concern v Be it known that I, JOSEPH BIJUR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, cit of New York, county and State of New ork, have invented an Improvement in Engine-Starting Apparatus, of which the following 1s a specification.

This application is a division of my application for engine starting apparatus, filed June 25, 1913, which was issued on June 17, 1919, as Patent No. 1,307,177.

This invention relates to engine-starting apparatus, and with regard to certain more specific features, to electrical means for starting internal combustion engines.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide practical inexpensive and duis wholly independent of electric currents;

Another object is to provide a simple and durable starting apparatus of few parts, in-j expensive to manufacture, easily assembled and efficient in action.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. 1

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations .of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the. accompanying drawings wherein is shown one of various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is'a view partly diagrammatic of starting apparatus;

Figs. 2 and 3 are views of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, showing certain parts in different positions;

Figs. 4 and 5 are details of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

I Similar reference characters refer to siinilar parts throughout the several views'of the drawing. i v

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at 1 a member, such as a fly-wheel, in driving connectlon with the engine (not shown), to

which the starting apparatus is ZLPPllGd.

On this fly-wheel .1 is a gear 2 adapted at predetermined times to mesh with the teeth of a pinion 3, the latter being feather-keyed upon the shaft 4 of an electric or other motor 5. Inasmuch as an electric motor is-preferred for rotating the shaft upon which the pinion 3 is mounted, such a motor is illus trated in. the drawing, with its field 6 and armature 7 in series with each other and with the main switch 8. The pinion 3 is urged toward the left (inFigs. 1, 2 and 3) by the coil spring 9 and is limited in its leftward longitudinal travel by the washer 10 and lock-nut 11 mounted upon the floating end of the motor shaft 4. The pinion carries, in addition to the teeth 12, a suitable number of'leaf or blade springs 13, bolted or otherwise secured as-at 14 to the pinion 3 and provided at their opposite ends with members 15 of suitable shape and having considerable mass. Mounted also upon the pinion 3, as by the retaining bolts 16, are the slotted projections 17 corresponding in number to the number of leaf springs 13 which pass respectively through the slots 18 in these projections. In the illustrative embodiment of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the projections not only serve the purpose of limiting he radial displacement of the members or weights 15 through the connections at the slots 18 with the leaf springs 13, but provide atthe shoulders 19 suitable surfaces for contacting with the washer 10, provided, as above indicated, to limit the leftward travel of the pinion 3 and its associated parts.

When the starting apparatus is not in operation, the parts are located as indicated in Fig. 1, with the pinion 3 disengaged from the gear 2 and the weights 15 firmly pressed inwardly against the cylindrical extension 20 of a horizontal shaft 21 reciprocable by the hand or foot operated rod 22 acting in conjunction with the spring 23 and bell crank lever 24, the spring 23 tending, as will be obvious, to force upward the rod 22, which for convenience will be termed the pedal. From this it will be clear that the downward movement of the pedal 22 in opposition to the spring 23 will cause the counter-clockwise rotation of the bell-crank lever 24, which in turn, through the pin-and-slot connection at 25, will move the horizontal shaft 21 toward the right, and since the weights 15 are firmly pressed inward against the reduced extension 20 of this shaft, the movement of the shaft toward the right will cause at once an engagement of the weights 15 with the shoulder 26 and the pinion 3 will move toward the gear 2 in opposition to the force exerted by the coil spring 9, the relative proportions of blade springs 13 and coil spring 9 being so designed that this act on of the pinion toward the right takes place without materially distorting the leaf springs 13. If now at this time a slight amount of current be supplied to the motor in order to set it in slow rotation, the pinion will turn sufficiently to insure meshing with the teeth of the gear as soon as the former has moved sufficiently far toward the right. A preferred means for supplying such a current to the motor at this time is illustrated in Fig. 1 as comprising the main switch 8 whose movable contacts 27, 28 are mounted directly on the horizontal shaft 21, above described. As indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a slight movement of the shaft 21 is sufficient to establish an electrical connection between the movable contact 27 and the fixed contacts 29, 30, thereby completing a circuit from the positive slde of the battery 31 through the armature 7 and field 6 of the motor, starting resistance 32, fixed contact 29, movable contact 27 and fixed contact 30 to the negative side of the battery, and as a result the armature 7 and pinion 3 rotate slowly. The continued movement toward the right of the horizontal shaft 21 causes the engagement of gear 2 and pinion 3 and almost immediately thereafter the starting resistance 32 is short-circuited by virtue of the connection between the movable contact 28 and fixed contacts 33, 34 of the main switch 8, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The motor windings are now suificiently energized to set in rotation the fiy-wheel 1 and the engine, and as. soon as the latter begins to rotate under its own power, the centrifugal force acting upon the weights 15 becomes sufiicient to move them outward in opposition to the leaf springs 13 through a distance greater than the radial depth of the shoulder 26. Then the coil spring 9, having nothing to oppose its expansion, moves the pinion 3, leaf springs 13 and weights 15 toward the left, thereby automatically unmeshing the pinion 3 and gear 2 as soon as the engine has started, as indicated in Fig. The operator will ordinarily now release the pedal 22 and the parts will come to rest in the position illustrated in Fig. 1. If, however, the pressure is not removed from the pedal, the motor will rotate at its free running speed, consuming little power and having no effect whatever upon the engine, since the pinion cannot be re-meshed with the gear while the pedal is depressed. Then when the pedal 22 is allowed to rise, the motor comes to rest with the parts as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to prevent the downward movement of the pedal when the engine is rotating, a suitable interlock 35 may be provided, this mechanism comprising, in the present instance, a voltage coil 36 (-Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5.) connected across the terminals of the generator 37 driven by the engine, this coil when energized, attracting in opposition-to the spring 38 the armatures 39, 40, secured respectively to the two halves 41, 42, of a split collar, thereby bringing the two hinged members of this collar into the annular groove 43 of the )edal 22, the groove and collar registering w ien the pedal is in its normal position of rest, indicated in Fig. 1. It will be obvious, without further elaboration, that as long as the voltage coil 36 is "energized, it is impossible to depress the pedal 22 so that energy cannot be supplied to the motor 5 until the engine has come to rest This mechanism is shown, described and claimed in my co-pending a plication for'engine starting apparatus, erial No. 765,423, filed May 5, 1913, and accordingly is not specifically claimed herein.

In the several figures of the drawing where the generator 37 is illustrated, an automatic switch is shown, more or less conventionally, as comprising a current coil 44 and a Voltage coil 45 wound so as to assist the current coil in maintaining a closed circuit at the contacts 46, the switch being opened by reverse current through the current coil and closed whenever the. voltage coil is sufliciently energized. The generator is illustrated for convenience as a shuntwound machine without a voltage or current regulator, it being understood, of course, that a suitable regulator is in practice provided and that the present invention is applicable to any suitable type of generator regulator and automatic switch.

Briefly stated, the operation'of the embodiment as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is as follows :VVhen the engine is to be started, the pedal 22 is depressed, thereby slowly rotating the motor while the pinion 3 is moved toward the gear and then sending a heavy current through the motor as soon as engagement between gear and pinion has been effected. hen the engine has started, the high speed of rotation of the weights 15 causes them to slide outward over the end of the shoulder 26, whereupon the coil spring 9 causes the pinion 3 to move toward the left, out of engagement with the gear 2. Then as soon as pressure is released from the pedal the motor comes to rest. The electro-magnet interlock 35 connected across the. terminals of the generator 37 locks the pedal in its raised position and prevents the-Cengagement of gear and pinion when the engine is rotating. I

It will thus be seen thatthere is provided apparatus in which the objects enumerated are achieved and other advantageous ends attained. I

In the above description certain expressions, such as left, right, clockwise and counterclockwise, have been used to designate simply the relative locations and relative movements of cooperating parts, and it will be" obvious that these words are neither us in 'an absolute sense but are,

. intended simply to illustrate the arrangement of the specific mechanisms employed. As-many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

Ii claim as my invention:

1. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected,..

to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion m finted coaxial with said shaft in position ,to move endwise into meshwith said gear, and means for transmitting an impulse to move said pinion into meshing position including a resilient device, said resilient device being secured in position at points. spaced'from the axis'of said pinion and disposed for equilibriumthereof in any position relative to said, shaft. 4 p r 2. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connectedvv to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said'motor, a pinion mounted coaxial with said shaft inposition to move endwise into mesh with said gear, and mechanism for transmitting an impulse to move said pinion into meshing position, said mechanism including spring means against which the force of said meshing movement is exerted, and a radially directed holding means for securing said spring means in position at points eccentric to the axis of said pinion, said meshing means with said spring means and its holding means being disposed with respect to said shaft for equilibrium in any.

position relative to the shaft when the pinion is o'ut of mesh.

3. ,In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to' be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a member fitted about said shaft, a pinion .on said member adapted to move endwise into mesh with said gear, spring mechanism for transmitting an impulse toshift said pinion into mesh with said gear, and radially directed bolts for securing said mechanism to said member, said mechanism with said bolts beingbalanced about said shaft.

4. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected -to be driven froman internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a member fitted about said shaft, a pinion on. said member in position to move-endwise into mesh with shaft in alinement with and forming an exmotor,

tension of the armature shaft of said a member fitted about said shaft, a'pinion upon said member positioned to move endwise into mesh with said gear, and means including a spring means through which shaft for'balancingthe committed and radiall disposed devices for securing free ends 0 said'spring means'to the said means which includes said spring means and the said securing devices therefor,,being sysmmetrically disposed about said shaft whereby the said parts are balanced. I I 6.; In engine starting apparatus for mo ton vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted coaxial With said shaft adapted to be driven from said shaft and mounted to move into mesh with said gear, and a spring positioned to yieldingly oppose movement of said pinion relative to said shaft in a direction away from said gear during the movement of said pinion toward meshing position, said spring being of curved flattened conformation.

7 In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected tobe driven from an internal combustion eng I power for said meshing movement istrans I gine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a member mounted about said shaft, a pinion upon said member and mounted to move into mesh with said gear, a spring mounted to yieldingly oppose movement of said pinion relative to said shaft in a direction away from said gear during movement of said pinion toward meshing position, and radially directed means passing through the end of said spring and securing it to the outer surface of said member.

8. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a member mounted about said shaft, a pinion upon said member and mounted to move into mesh with said gear, and a spring secured to said member and mounted to yieldingly oppose movement of said pinion relative to said shaft in a direction away from said gear during movement of said pinion toward meshing position, said spring being of a flattened conformation to facilitate its yielding action.

9. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a member mounted about said shaft, a pinion upon said member and mounted to move into mesh with said gear, a spring mounted to yieldingly oppose movement of said pinion relative to said shaft in a direction away from said gear during movement of said pinion toward meshing position, and radially directed means passing through the end of said spring and securing it to the outer surfaceof said member, said spring. being of an elongated fiattened conformation to facilitate its yielding action.

10. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted coaxial with said shaft adapted to be driven from said shaft and mounted to move into mesh with said gear, a resilient device secured in position to oppose yieldingly.

movement of said pinion relative to said shaft in a direction away from said gear during the movement of said pinion toward meshing position, and means co-acting with said device for transmitting force to shift said pinion into meshing position, the mass of said resilient device with its securing means being symmetrically disposed about said shaft, whereby all parts are balanced.

11. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a member fitted about said shaft, a pinion upon said member adapted tomove endwise into mesh with said gear, a resilient device eccentrically secured at one end to said member and adapted yieldingly to oppose movement of said pinion relative to said shaft in a direction away from said gear during movement of said pinion toward meshing position, and means coacting with said resilient device adapted to transmit force for urging said pinion into mesh with said gear, the mass of said means together with said resilient device and its securing means being symmetrically disposed about said shaft, whereby all parts are balanced, said resilient device including a spring being of flattened conformation to facilitate its yielding action.

12. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a flywheel gear con nected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft in alinement with and forming an extension of the armature shaft of said motor, a member fitted about said shaft, a pinion upon said member adapted to move endwise into mesh with said gear, a resilient device eccentrioally secured at one end to said member and adapted yieldingly to oppose movement of said pinion relative to said shaft in a direction away from said gear during movement of said pinion toward meshing position, and means co-acting with said resilient device adapted to transmit force for impelling said pinion into mesh with said gear, the mass of said means together with said resilient device and its securing means being symmetrically disposed about said shaft,.whereby all parts are balanced.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification this 20th day of January, 1919.

. JOSEPH BIJUR 

